Toyota Prius GT300 Debuts at Tokyo Auto Salon

You probably don’t think of the Toyota Prius as a race car. That’s because, while the hybrid is known for its incredible efficiency, it’s not particularly lauded for its engine performance—until now. At the Tokyo Auto Salon, Japanese race team APR Racing has revealed its next car to compete in Japan’s Super GT Series, and it’s based on none other than the fourth-generation Prius.

This is no ordinary Prius, though. This racing version comes with center-locking alloy wheels, a deeper bumper with a larger air vent and splitter, and an oversized rear wing. Inside, the vehicle gets a bucket seat, a carbon-fiber multi-function steering wheel, a digital information display, and a full roll cage.

Under the hood, you’ll find a naturally-aspirated 3.5-liter V6 in place of the Prius’ standard 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine. The standard electric motors remain, though with minor modifications to make it race-track-ready.

The Prius GT300 is currently on display at the 2016 Tokyo Auto Salon, and it will make its racing debut on April 9th at the Okayama Circuit in Japan, competing in the Super GT’s GT300 class. Other cars in this class will include a BMW Z4, a Nissan GT-R, and a range of other cars you might assume are better suited to the track. We are excited to see how the Prius GT300 performs against such fierce competition.